Wilhelm von Humboldt: A Continuing Legacy of Self-Cultivation in Education

Claims regarding the significance of Wilhelm von Humboldt’s impact on education disagree only on degree. While his primary and secondary educational experience did not directly shape his educational philosophy, social, intellectual and professional influences combined to produce the lasting educational phenomena created by Wilhelm von Humboldt. Some of Humboldt’s key contributions include the structuring of Prussian education; the creation of the modern university, including the blending of research and teaching; the theorizing of bildung; and ethnographic work in linguistics and anthropology, which ties into education. His influence on other educational thinkers has contributed to the lasting impact of his educational thought, and his legacy continues in the ever-changing application of bildung in higher education as well as in surprising new K-12 environments.